Shad Khan’s purchase of Fairgrounds has Georgia-Florida tailgaters questioning future

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – A giant a part of the Georgia-Florida rivalry sport is the tailgating and fan expertise beforehand. You don’t earn the “World’s Largest Out of doors Cocktail Get together” moniker with out having time.

However chatter amongst followers at this 12 months’s tailgate festivities wasn’t simply centered on whether or not the sport will keep in Jacksonville — an oft-debated subject.

Followers additionally wish to know, if the sport does keep, will certainly one of their in style tailgate spots be open for enterprise?

Followers mentioned they love the Jacksonville Fairgrounds for tailgating, however they’re frightened they could have to seek out one other place to arrange their pre-game events.

Jaguars proprietor Shad Khan’s funding firm agreed to purchase the Fairgrounds again in April, and what which means for the way forward for tailgating on the Fairgrounds for video games like Georgia-Florida is up within the air.

Kristina Rahn and Lori Rogers have been buddies for many years, regardless of rooting for opposing groups.

They’ve been tailgating on the Fairgrounds for 15 years in the identical spot and don’t need that to vary.

“We hope that he’ll take issues into perspective. No less than one day trip of the 12 months, allow us to preserve this,” Georgia fan Rahn mentioned. “Allow us to preserve this. Do no matter you need, however please allow us to preserve this one day trip of the 12 months.”

Rogers, a Florida fan, joined her good friend’s plea.

“It’s a custom. That’s what Jacksonville’s all about. Jacksonville, Florida, Georgia. It’s a custom,” Rogers mentioned.

Kevin Miley feels the identical method. Fifteen years in the past he helped begin the “Gator Raiders Tailgating Crew,” they usually’ve claimed a spot within the Fairgrounds yearly since.

“This is likely one of the finest issues about Jacksonville that we’ve got right here is the Georgia-Florida sport. That is what it’s all about,” Miley mentioned. “I hope the sport stays right here.”

There’s discuss — once more — about the opportunity of shifting the sport out of Jacksonville. Final 12 months, the Jacksonville Metropolis Council voted unanimously to approve a contract that will preserve the Florida-Georgia sport, which has had an financial influence of hundreds of thousands of {dollars} every year, within the metropolis by means of not less than 2023.

The settlement with the town, the College Athletic Affiliation and the College of Georgia Athletic Affiliation features a two-year extension possibility for the 2024 and 2025 video games.

Kirby Good complains about Jacksonville location of Florida-Georgia sport — once more

As for the Fairgrounds, it appears they’ll keep accessible for tailgaters for not less than the subsequent two years till the annual truthful strikes to the Westside in 2025.

That’s when Iguana Investments plans to show the realm right into a parking zone for Jaguars video games and different occasions on the sports activities complicated.

“Understanding Jacksonville and understanding Georgia-Florida followers, we’re going to discover a strategy to social gathering,” mentioned Cicely Manning, proprietor of CM Originals. “It will not be right here, however there will certainly be a celebration in Jacksonville.”

Manning was on the Fairgrounds tailgate for the primary time on Saturday promoting mini collectors helmets and jewellery as Gators followers and ‘Dawgs followers cheered collectively in shut proximity.

“It’s an unknown state of affairs. It’s all one thing new. I hate to see this presumably go. It’s one thing that we’ve got at all times beloved,” Miley mentioned. “We’d hate to see it go.”

However they’ll proceed having fun with the area for so long as they’ll.